Description
A vibrant and healthy Simple Super Greens Pesto Pasta recipe featuring a fresh blend of spinach, kale, basil, toasted nuts, and Parmesan cheese, tossed with al dente pasta. This easy-to-make pesto offers a nutritious twist on traditional pesto, perfect for a quick weeknight meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 8 ounces Dried Pasta (Choose your favorite type of pasta.)
Greens & Herbs
- 2 cups Fresh Spinach (Rinse and dry thoroughly.)
- 1 cup Chopped Kale (Remove tough stems and massage leaves lightly.)
- 1 cup Fresh Basil Leaves (Use only leaves, discard stems.)
Other Ingredients
- 2 cloves Garlic (Peel and roughly chop.)
- 1/4 cup Nuts (Pine Nuts or Walnuts) (Toast lightly in a dry skillet.)
- 1/2 cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (Drizzle while blending for creaminess.)
- 1/3 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese (Use freshly grated for best results.)
- Salt, to taste
- Black Pepper, to taste (Freshly ground preferred.)
Instructions
- Cook Pasta. In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil. Add 8 ounces of pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente, typically about 8-10 minutes depending on the pasta type.
- Prepare Greens. Rinse and dry the spinach, basil, and kale thoroughly to remove any grit or moisture that could affect the pesto’s texture and flavor.
- Toast Nuts. In a dry skillet over medium heat, lightly toast the pine nuts or walnuts for about 3-4 minutes until fragrant and slightly browned, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
- Process Pesto Base. In a food processor, combine the toasted nuts, garlic, spinach, kale, and basil. Pulse several times until the ingredients are finely chopped but not completely pureed.
- Add Olive Oil. With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in the extra-virgin olive oil to emulsify and create a creamy texture.
- Incorporate Cheese. Add the grated Parmesan cheese to the food processor and blend until it is fully incorporated into the pesto.
- Drain Pasta. Once the pasta is cooked, reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the remainder and return the pasta to the pot.
- Toss Pasta with Pesto. Pour the prepared pesto over the pasta and toss gently to combine. Gradually add reserved pasta water as needed to achieve the desired sauce consistency.
- Season and Serve. Taste the pasta and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper as desired. Serve immediately for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Use fresh and good quality basil and greens for the best pesto flavor.
- To keep pesto vibrant green, avoid over-processing the greens.
- Adjust pasta water quantity to control the consistency of the pesto sauce.
- Toast nuts carefully as they can burn quickly and alter the taste.
- This recipe can be made vegan by omitting Parmesan or substituting with a vegan cheese alternative.
